Aeroplane



N. E. SHIBLY May 13, 1930.

AEROPLANE 3 Sheets-Sheen l Filed June 1'7, 1929 Wilma N. E. SHIBLY AEROPLANE 3' Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1929 y 1930- N. E. SHIBLY 1,758,204

AEROPLANE Filed June 17, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 TEE] Wham

NE S/nv/y,

Patented May 13, 1930 UNITED STATES NASSIF E. SHIBLY, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA AEROPLANE Application filed June 17, 1929.

The invention relates to aeroplanes, whether of the type known as a seaplane or an airplane, and it aims to provide a new and improved relation of parts whereby the craft may rise more readily and more rapidly,

may attain greater speed, may have greater lifting capacity, will be assisted in maintaining its course, and will be prevented from nose-diving.

In carrying out the above end, a further object is to make novel provision whereby a tractor propeller operates in a blast of air from an inclined propeller and whereby this blast of air is directed against a compressed l5 bank of air which is produced by two air impellers mounted over the end portions of the supporting plane. The air impellers inwardly compress a bank of air over the central portion of the sustaining plane, the blast of air from the inclined propeller is resisted somewhat by this compressed bank of air so that the air of said blast will itself become compressed between said bank and said inclined propeller. and the tractor propeller acts upon the compressed air of this blast so that greater efficiency is obtained. At the same time, the air impellers assist in stabilizing the craft and maintaining it on its course, and the inclined propeller exerts an elevating: and a forward propelling}- force.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for the effective mounting of the inclined propeller, the two air coinprcssing impellers, and a motor which opcrates said inclined propeller and said impellers.

lVit-h the foregoing: and minor objects in iew, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed,

description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view partly broken away.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the mounting means for the shafts of the inclined propeller and the air compressing impellers, and the motor which drives these parts.

Serial No. 371,553.

ln the drawi s above briefly described, the numeral 5 denotes an appropriate fuselage having the usual rudders 6-7 at its rear end and equip 'ied also with appropriate landing gear embodying wheels 8-9 or pontoons if desired. Srlabl mounted over the front portion of the fuselage is a sustaining plane 10 upon who-1c central portion a motor-supporting base 11 is secured, said base being; preferably provided with flanges 12 bolted or otherwise secured upon said plane. Rising rigidly from the front portion of the base 11. is an arched bearing support 13. The legs of this support are provided near their upper ends with bearings 14 which are alined 60 r vers of the craft, one leg of the support 13 is provided with an additional bearing near its lower end, and the crown portion of said support is equipped with a forwardly inclined bearing 16.

A relatively long shaft 17 is rotatably mounted in the bearings 14, a comparatively short shaft 18 is mounted in the bearing 15, and driving connections such as a chain 19 and appropriate sprockets, are provided between said shafts 1718. A motor 20 is mounted upon the base 11, the front end of the motor shaft being provided with a near 21 meshing; with a gear 22 on the inner end of the shaft 18 for the purpose of driving the latter. A forwardly inclined shaft 2?) is mounted in the bearing 16 and is driven by a gear 2% meshing with the gear 21. If desired,

a clot ii or clutches (not shown) may be employed for controlling the driving of the sha js by m ans of the motor 20.

Two screw type air impellers 25 are so cured upon the shaft 17 over the end portions of the weightsu taining plane 10. said impellers being pitched to inwardly move air toward the central portion of the plane 10, thereby creating: a compressed bank of air over said central portion. An inclined propeller 2G is secured upon the shaft 23 and the rearward and downward blast of air from this propeller, meets the compressed bank of air created by the impellers 25, so that the air of said blast is itself highly compressed between said bank and said propeller 26. A tractor propeller 27 is mounted in a verti- 'al plane at the front end of the fuselage 5 and is driven by an appropriate motor. This tractor propeller is positioned so that the upper part of the zone in which it operates, is under and behind the lower part of the Zone in which the inclined propeller 26 rotates. Hence, propeller 2? acts against the blast of air from the propeller 26, said blast being compressed as above stated. Consequently, greater efii 'iency is obtained than if the propellei 2T acted upon free air.

In addition to performing the functions above explained, the impellers by drawing air inwardly uniformly from both sides of the craft. assist in maintaining the latter on its course. Moreover, as the blades these impellers thrust upwardly upon the air against which they are forced by the forward travel of the machine, they somewhat counteract the continual tendency of the propeller 26 to tilt the nose of the craft upwardly and hence they materially assist in stabilizing the ship. The propeller 2t; exerts not only a sustaining force in addition to performing the function above explained, but this propeller exerts also a forward pull. The several features combined in the manner shown, produce a machine which may rise more readily and more rapidly than the ordinary air craft, may attain greater speed, will have greater lifting and sustaining pow r, will be assisted in maintaining its course, will be effectively stabilized and will be prevented from nose-diving.

Vithin the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous variations may be made over the present illustrative disclosure.

I claim 1. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a sustaining plane transverse thereto, two air in'ipellers mounted over the end portions of said sustaining plane for inwardly compressing air transversely of the craft and forming a compressed air bank over the central portion of said sustaining plane, an inclined propeller mounted to operate in a rearwardly inclined plane spaced forwardly and upwardly from said central portion of said sustaining plane, whereby the blast of air from said inclined propeller will thrust against said compressed air bank and itself become more. hi, .ilv coniprcssed, a tractor propeller mounted u operation in a v rtieal plane at the front end of the fuselage, said tractor propeller being posi tioned to operate behind and under the lower portion of the zone in which said inclined propeller operates, whereby said tractor propeller acts upon the compressed blast of air from said inclined propeller.

2. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a sustaining plane transverse thereto, a motor mounted upon the central portion of said sustaining plane, an elongated shaft mounted above said sustaining plane and extending longitudinally thereof, driving connections between said motor and said shaft, two air-impelling screws secured to said shaft over the end portions of said sustaining plane and pitched to inwardly compress air over the central portion of said sustaining plane, a forwardly inclined shaft mounted at said central por tion of said sustaining plane, driving connections between this shaft. and said motor, an inclined propeller secured to said inclined shaft and adapted to direct an air blast against the air compressed by said ,crews, whereby the air of said blast will become more highly compressed, and a tractor propeller mounted for operation in a vertical plane at the front end of said fuselage, said tractor propeller being positioned to operate behind and under the lower portion of the zone in which said inclined propeller operates, whereby said tractor propeller acts upon the compressed blast of air from said inclined propeller.

3. In an aeroplane, a fuselage, a sustaining plane transverse thereto, a motor-supporting base mounted on the central portion of said plane and provideo at its front end with an arched upwardly projecting bearing support, the legs of said support being provided near their upper ends with bearings alined longitudinally of said sustaining plane, one leg of said support bong provided with another bearing whose axis is parallel with the aforesaid bearings, the crown portion of said support being formed with a forwardly inclined bearing, a relatively long shaft mounted in said alined bearings, a comparatively short shaft mounted in said other bearing, driving connections between said long and short shafts, an inclined shaft mounted in said inclined bearing, a motor mounted on said base, driv' ig connections between said motor and said relatively short and inclined shafts, air iinpelling screws on said relatively long shaft for inwardly compressing air over the central portion of said plane, a propeller secured to said inclined shaft and adapted todirect an air blast against the air compressed by said scre vs, whereby the air of said blast will become more highly compressed, and a ractor propeller mounted for operation in a vertical plane at the front end of said fuselage, said tractor propeller being positioned to operate behind and under the lower portion of the Zone in which said inclined propeller operates, whereby said tractor propeller acts upon the compressed blast of air from said inclined propeller.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aftii ed my signature.

NASSIF E. SHIBLY.

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